1. Unit One: Introduction to Forensic Science
1-2 Crime Laboratories
Unit One: Introduction to Forensic Science

2. Crime Laboratories
The development of crime laboratories in the United States has been characterized by rapid growth accompanied but a lack of national and regional planning and coordination.

3. Increase in Crime Laboratories
There are four major reasons for the increase in the number of crime laboratories in the United States since the 1960s.

4. 1st Reason for Increase
The fact that the requirements to advise criminal suspects of their constitutional rights and the right to immediate access to counsel has all but eliminated confessions has a routine investigative tool.

5. 2nd Reason for Increase
An increase of arrest rates in the United States, and its detection.

6. 3rd Reason for Increase
All illicit drug seizures must be sent to the forensics laboratory for confirmatory chemical analysis before the case can be adjudicated to a court.

7. 4th Reason for Increase
The development of DNA profiling for both perpetrators and suspects.

8. Technical Support
The technical support provided by crime laboratories can be assigned to five basic services:

9. Technical Support
The technical support provided by crime laboratories can be assigned to five basic services:
the physical science unit

10. Technical Support
The technical support provided by crime laboratories can be assigned to five basic services:
the physical science unit
the biology unit

11. Technical Support
The technical support provided by crime laboratories can be assigned to five basic services:
the physical science unit
the biology unit
the firearms unit

12. Technical Support
The technical support provided by crime laboratories can be assigned to five basic services:
the physical science unit
the biology unit
the firearms unit
the document examination unit

13. Technical Support
The technical support provided by crime laboratories can be assigned to five basic services:
the physical science unit
the biology unit
the firearms unit
the document examination unit
the polygraph unit

14. Optional Services
Some crime laboratories offer optional services such as
toxicology
fingerprint analysis
polygraph administration
voice print analysis
crime scene investigation